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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Each political party and its candidates will require the sum of N2.86 billion to purchase nomination forms for the forthcoming Kano State Local Government elections scheduled to hold on Nov. 30th.
This figure followed the decision of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission to peg the cost of the nomination forms at N10m and N5m respectively for Chairman and Councillorship candidates in the election.
Saturday Sun investigation indicated that there are a total of 44 local government councils and 484 wards in the state, which translates to N440 million and N2.4 billion for any party that decides to fully participate in the elections.
Defending the set fee against the backdrop of outcries from political parties and civil society groups, the Chairman of KANSIEC, Sani Lawal Manufashi explained that prices of goods and services have witnessed an unprecedented increase in the country. He added that the cost of the nomination forms was affected by the costs of goods and services needed to conduct a free, fair and successful election.
While admitting that the Commission was not a money earning agency for the state government, he equally underscored the fact that they were not a charity organization either.
Describing the fee as outrageous and a clear disincentive to democracy, Secretary to the All Progressive Congress in the state, Selima Zakari told Saturday Sun that his party would go to court on the matter.
“Who has N5m to pay because he wants to contest for the position of a councilor? or N10m because he wants to contest for chairman? How is he going to recover this money? These KANSIEC people are not sincere, they cannot give us a free and fair election” he asserted.
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“If they don’t reduce the fee for these forms, we are going to court. In any case, we are not supposed to pay anything to contest elections in Nigeria. This is the position of the Supreme Court. And so we will go back to the same court to compel them to do the right thing”
He also faulted the composition of the management team of KANSEIC. His words: “All of them (on the team) are card carrying members of a political party except for one woman. The Chairman, Naallah Kura, Isyaku Ibrahim Kunya and that lawyer and even the former Clerk, Badamasi are all card carrying members of NNPP” he stated adding that this would be another ground for the litigation.
Speaking to Saturday Sun also, the State Secretary, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Musa Maigari blasted KANSIEC for the high cost of nomination forms, whle assuring that they too would approach the court.
“KANSIEC is not a money making agency of the state government. So why this? Besides, there is a budget for the conduct of Local Government Elections. Why on earth should they mortgage the election and the choice of the people for economic gains? “he queried.
He expressed doubts at the ability of KANSIEC to conduct free and fair elections given their attempt to use the nomination fees to scare off candidates of the financially weaker parties in favour of those whose payments would be written off by the same government.
However, the State Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Hashimu Dunguruwa expressed satisfaction with the amount set by KANSIEC, saying that N10m and N5m were in line with the amounts that were charged by all other neighbouring states.
He drew attention to the fact that the neighboring states charging N10m and N5m were mostly APC governed- states, noting that the APC as a party should start by criticizing their own governors, whose Commissions had the same rate for the purchase of nomination forms for local government elections.
He expressed confidence in KANSIEC as presently constituted, insisting that they would deliver free, fair and credible local Government elections in the state.
